New York Mayor Adams raises the American flag
In responding to the criminal protestors and rioters plaguing New York City, Mayor Eric Adams commended students and Police officers for restoring the American flag on two campuses – where protestors had replaced with a Palestinian flag. It was part of a larger response by the NYPD to the illegal occupation of the grounds and buildings of local universities.
Amidst the chaos and violence of the protest, a group of college students broke out singing the National Anthem at the foot of the restored American flag. While there have been a lot to reports about campus disruptions — both from the criminal actions of many of the so-called protestors and the malignant cause they represent – there is value in digging a little deeper into the flag issue. That display of patriotism at those two universities was more than merely replacing one piece of cloth with another.
As I have written in the past, the Flag – along with the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance – are the symbolic representations of our unity, our very existence as a nation. They represent a commonality of cultural and social values. They represent an overarching culture that finds national unity even as there is vigorous debate on issues and policies. Disrespecting and demeaning the flag, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance suggest that America is less of a nation and more of a collection of competing tribal interests. Can there be unity if there are no mutually respected symbols of that unity?
Mayor Adams did more than an obligatory compliment for the students and police who restored the flags. He underscored the actions in a strong public statement. He said:
“My uncle died defending this country, and these men and women put their lives on the line – it’s despicable that schools allow another country’s flag to fly in our country. So, blame me for being proud to be an American, and I thank Commissioner Doughtry for putting that flag back up. We’re not surrendering our way of life to anyone.”
One report referred to Adam’s comment as “shocking patriotism.” It is not entirely clear if that was meant as a compliment or a criticism. It was, however, an indication that if patriotism can be described as “shocking,” it is not in vogue in modern America – especially among the left-wing intelligentsia that runs the nation’s schools and media.
Kudos to Adams for drawing the distinction between patriotic Americans and the subset of American haters who we see protesting and rioting these days.
So, there ‘tis.
Thank you Larry for the article.
And thank you Mayor Eric Adams for taking off
the blurry Democrat Goggles and seeing things for what they are.
Horist bemoans: “In responding to the criminal protestors and rioters plaguing New York City,” OMGoodness, it’s the Summer of Floyd all over again…. They’re burning all of NYCity. Where’s Kyle? Where’s Perry? It’s the 60’s all over again. That’s the real thing even if no one can remember… No Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and this ain’t the 60’s. This ain’t the summer of Floyd. This is not a plague upon the New York City, the city that you could care less about. Broadway is still open, Times Square still illuminates the night sky. Horist has even said it’s not that horrible although his wording is often incite-full, not insightful.
There is no protest “plague” in New York City. That’s a deplorable way of looking at it. There’s Columbia. At Columbia it’s a few hundred students out of 30,000.
Same at other colleges. Some participate, most have been protesting Israel’s actions for years, not their Jewish faith or blaming their faith.
Most students could care less about the protest unless blocking their way. Most are just going to school. Most protesting have been doing it for years. Peacefully. This time they are more robust, new folks have joined; there is a war going on after all. Plus, they are joined by all sorts of outsiders, publicity will do that. Horist and others are just waking up but seem to be in a bit of a fog still. They are so binary: if you protest Israel, you hate Jews. Black and white. If there is violence, everyone is a violent criminal. Black and white. And if you are liberal, you are bad. Black and white. But it isn’t black or white, this or that, on or off. It’s a blend of all sorts of people with many different objectives. Remember, that’s basically what you folks said about 1.6.2021 — tourists gone wild — remember?
Most of the students are going to school. Yes, they are afraid of violence, Jews are afraid of antisemitism, they have good reason. Antisemitism has been rising ever since Trump took office so they have reality to fear, not necessarily a few hundred college protestors. Hate is in, speaking out to incite is in. Lying is cool again. And yes, the rise beginning with Trump has skyrocketed under Biden. But that’s universal across the country, not just at colleges.
According to DOJ, about 10% of hate crimes happen at schools, including colleges. And that’s hate crimes, hate violence, not just antisemitism. Over 50% happen near residences, streets, and sidewalks. According to DOJ, 17% due to religion, 60% due to race/ethnicity/heritage. Get a grip on your hate people. Keep it in perspective. Most of it happens at home……
But fear it is, fear Horist has, and fear that prompted a fast, over the top response to crack down including a police fire arms discharge inside Hamilton Hall at Columbia and a flag-raising photo op and prepared speech by Pol Addams. And the symbolic re-raising of the flag. That’s a huge failure. The building has been occupied a half dozen times since the 60’s. This time it had minimal protection, kids had been hiding out in it for some time, and, of course, one night someone hid to open a door, kids flowed in, and the single security guard assigned could do nothing. Go figure.
This was not an Imo Jima moment and, remember, that one was staged.
“Amidst the chaos and violence of the protest, a group of college students broke out singing the National Anthem at the foot of the restored American flag. While there have been a lot to reports about campus disruptions — both from the criminal actions of many of the so-called protestors and the malignant cause they represent.” Hyperinflate much? Free Palestine is a “malignant cause?” You against freedom? Figure these sand-n-words don’t deserve to rule and vote themselves but must be Israel’s chattel to having their homes plowed down and stolen by settlers? Been happening for decades, the Israeli government is full of extremists condoning this crap, and you are up in arms about people just saying NO to Apartheid? No, you probably see them as Jew haters all. Black and white, right?
The Palestinian support protests have been going on for years. This is an amplification of that due to Israeli’s murderous approach to dismantling Hamas. An approach that in inhumanly cruel punitive fashion, is murdering 10’s of thousands of innocent civilians, many of which are children. They blame Hamas for hiding amongst them as they bomb hospitals, refugee camps, aid workers, and other places they damned well don’t have to. IF this was our government doing this, you would be storming the Capitol. 30,000 dead for a few thousand Hamas? Really —- you would accept the US military forces on that return?
Most of these protestors are not antisemites, they are against Israel, the country’s treatment of Palestinians. Sure, there are a few Jew-haters in the crowd, they arrested a half dozen non-students at Hamilton Hall. Just as during the Summer of Floyd protests where they arrested a number of right-wing extremist activists. Kyle got away though. But they didn’t arrest leftist at the 1.6.2021 affair —- happened too fast. Sure, some people have said stupid things, like AOC saying it’s genocide. Israel, God forbid, could wipe GAZA off the map and half the Palestinian people would still be at the West Bank…. Just stupid to say that untruth. But that’s not a statement against the Jewish faith — it’s against the country of Israel — get over it.
Jews and Israelis understand that. There are a good number of Jews at Columbia in the protests wearing Palestinian colors in support. Are they antisemitic?
The ask is for the University to divest from Israeli investments. It’s a good ask. Won’t happen but a good ask. Many here applaud West Virginia and other States who have divested from green investments —- big time. MIT does millions in defense research for Israel. It’s a good ask. Many here won’t drink Bud Light because a trans was featured in an ad. But they are not for prohibition.
My point is tone down the rhetoric, especially tossing the racist card for antisemitism. Most of these students are protesting Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, the apartheid that exists, an apartheid controlled by Israel. Yes, many Palestinians are not helping the cause of freedom or the end of apartheid, but Israel is in control, for sure. The protest is good. It’s not a plague. There has not been that much “chaos and violence.” It’s just Horistian locker room talk meant to excite the reader.
“Disrespecting and demeaning the flag, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance suggest that America is less of a nation and more of a collection of competing tribal interests. Can there be unity if there are no mutually respected symbols of that unity?” OMG, there he goes again. Either you bark like a dog on command or you are fighting unity and mutually respected symbols according to Horist. Unity? What unity? Where has Horist been? If he wanted to fight dis-unity, start with THE BIG LIE. That’s millions disrespecting the very core symbol of everything American — the peaceful transfer of power based on the people’s freely elected choice. Force the flag, force the pledge; there goes free speech right out the window. In the late 60’s, and I am not a 60’s protestor, little later, but I sported flags on my jeans and jackets —- it’s was not pleasant at many times in many places as it was not the tradition to sport the flag like that. Supposedly I was denigrating the symbol to create disharmony. Now Trumper’s probably have flag tattoos on their genitals, they sure as fuck put the flag everywhere else They even sport upside down flags for their perceived distress. And they freaking curb stomp people with rainbow flags regularly. It’s a symbol, not a holy relic.
I do agree, “Kudos to Adams” for raising the flag but really, I totally disagree that these are “American haters who we see protesting and rioting these days,” that’s just binary old man thoughts. They are mostly our kids protesting Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians heightened by their recent callous murders of innocent civilians in Gaza.
Hey Addams, I too lost Uncles and Cousins in that War. My father was there, lost big time, and I lived with that too. But, in his honor and with his respect, I say: Protest on kids. Be peaceful, but protest on. I still remember his words urging me on to speak my peace: “And if you break the law, you should suffer the consequences as an American.” As my symbolic gesture of our unity to be a nation of laws. And so, Mr. Horist, if you got a real problem with the flag and the students —- make a law. That’s America buddy.